Springfield Tech Council aims to showcase region’s talent

The Springfield Tech Council honored professionals and businesses in the technology field at its Excellence in Technology Awards gala Friday, held at the White River Conference Center in Springfield.

The organization conferred 16 awards at the annual event, the second one it has held after establishing it in 2023.

An announcement of the awards states, “Springfield Tech Council has made advocating and showcasing the incredible diversity and talent of southwest Missouri and the Midwest its mission, to pool our resources and work towards making a better future for everyone in our community, together.”

The announcement adds that the entire community reaps the benefits of attraction and retention of tech talent.

In accepting the award for Technology Services Provider of the Year, Thomas Douglas, CEO of JMark Business Solutions Inc., said the tech people of the world are a special group.

“Celebrating the technologists that make the world turn the way that we do in today’s world is a celebration of grit,” he said. “We love what we do. We love the geeky things.”

He added, though, that it is also about persevering through failure and realizing successes, sometimes the hard way.

“It’s a unique game. Most people don’t get it, and it’s hard,” he said. “As we navigate through the challenges of what it means to go to the next step and integrate things like AI and the shifts that are coming, it’s going to get a little bit more challenging.”

In accepting the award for Technology Executive of the Year (Large Business), David Markley, president of Stronghold Data LLC, expressed his appreciation for everyone who had gathered.

“I just really appreciate the Springfield Tech Council for putting on this event as well as many others, and just the place that it has in this community, just furthering our craft and our industry that we have here,” he said.

The following awards were presented Sept. 27:

• Rising Star: Kayla Peden of Bass Pro Shops. Finalists were Kaylin Handley of Pearson-Kelly Technology, Audrey Harmon of SRC Logistics Inc. and Zachery Smith of CNH Reman LLC.
• Technology Educator of the Year: Ravi Thambusamy of Missouri State University. Finalists were Tiffany Ford of Ozarks Technical Community College and Shannon McMurtrey of Drury University.
• Technology Executive of the Year (Small Business): Mike Lofaro of SW Business Solutions. Finalist was Ben Pomerenke of WareHQ Labs.
• Technology Executive of the Year (Large Business): David Markley of Stronghold Data LLC. Finalists were Jonathan Baltzell of Jack Henry & Associates Inc. and Kelly Laurie of City Utilities of Springfield.
• Solution Designer of the Year: Jason Mendez of Bayada Home Health Care Inc. Finalists were Nathan Dievert of SRC Logistics Inc., Greg Sexton of Pitt Technology Group LLC and Daniel “DJ” Zaruba of Pitt Technology Group LLC.
• Project Manager or Coordinator of the Year: Angela N. Grant, Jack Henry & Associates Inc. Finalists were Kris Clark of Netwatch Inc. and Emily Dale of Mostly Serious LLC.
• Tech Professional of the Year (Small Team): Phillip Tillotson of JMark Business Solutions Inc. Finalists were Lance Garrison of Fiocchi of America Inc. and Raymond Krueger of SRC Logistics Inc.
• Tech Professional of the Year (Large Team): Jacob McClanahan of City Utilities of Springfield. Finalists were Kelly Stockton of Jack Henry & Associates Inc. and Justin West of Jack Henry & Associates Inc.
• Salesperson of the Year: Stephanie Kern of Losh Network Services. Finalists were Luke Lundgren of Pitt Technology Group LLC and Andy Robinson of SpringNet Broadband.
• Programmer, Analyst, or Developer of the Year: Jack Horst of CNH Reman LLC. Finalists were Kyle Tiggemann of TierOne Solutions LLC and Tyson Treasure of SRC Logistics Inc.
• Top Speaker at STC Squared: Chris Crosby of Next Level Solutions LLC. Finalists were Mica Cooper of Aisus & InsureCrypt LLC and Ben Pomerenke of WareHQ Labs.
• Top Exhibitor Booth at STC Squared: CPI Technologies. Finalists were Axis Communications Inc. and Pure Storage Inc.
• Network Services Provider of the Year: SpringNet Broadband. Finalist was Won Communications LLC.
• Technology Services Provider of the Year: JMark Business Solutions Inc. Finalists were CPI Technologies, Stronghold Data LLC and TierOne Solutions LLC.
• Community Impact Award: Pitt Technology Group LLC. Finalists were Jack Henry & Associates Inc. and Springfield Devs.
• Volunteer of the Year Award: Dan Watson, chair of the STC Board of Directors.